Watford General Hospital
New Acute Admissions Unit
"The development of the Acute Admissions Unit will play a crucial part in securing the very best hospital services for the 21st Century."
Awards
- Best Off-site Health Project, Off-site Construction Awards
- Building for Health Award, Builder & Engineer Awards
The Requirement 
West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust carriend out a £34m reorganisation and modernisation of acute services in the area. A new model of care was employed to improve the patient experience with rapid, consultant-led diagnosis for emergency cases and treatment closer to home.
The Solution
A £25m ProCure21 contract at Watford General Hospital was completed by Medicinq Osborne. The project included a new Acute Admissions Unit (AAU), which was constructed off site by Yorkon in a £12m contract - believed to be the UK's largest modular building contract in the healthcare sector.
The scheme for West Hertfordshire NHS Trust was also the largest AAU in the country.
Designed by Murphy Philipps Architects, the three-storey building provided 120 beds for emergency admissions, two cardiac catheterisation laboratories, diagnostics including x-ray, ultrasound and CT scanner, pharmacy manufacture and robotics, library and a roof-top plant room.
The building was manufactured off site in York. 150 steel-framed modules were delivered to site and craned into position, complete with partitions, electrics, plumbing, sanitary ware and finishes already in place.
The new AAU is linked to the existing hospital, and was finished in wedgewood blue with contrasting white render and aluminium cladding for a contemporary appearance.
Comments from the Project Team
Graham Ramsay, Medical Director, West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust:
"We are delighted with the new facility. This is the largest of a new generation of acute admissions units and forms part of the Department of Health's new ‘Model of Care' initiative."
"Early indications are showing that the new model of care provided in the AAU of early assessment, diagnosis and treatment is having a very positive impact and patients have been really enthusiastic about the environment and the service they are receiving."
Lesley Harrison, Senior Sister in the AAU:
"Patients and staff are very pleased with the new building. The unit is light and airy - a pleasant environment that is much easier to keep clean. There is lots of space around patient beds which is hugely beneficial when clinical staff are carrying out interventions. Patients love the bright colours and have even compared it to a hotel!"
Stephen Cottrell, Operations Manager of Medicinq Osborne:
"From the inception of this project the ethos of ProCure21 of partnership and openness has been prevalent - working alongside the Trust, hospital user groups, design consultants and specialist subcontractors to achieve a guaranteed maximum price for the project."
"We were delighted to be involved with this project - no doubt our experience of working in the hospital over the past three years on other P21 schemes was a major factor in reaching this milestone."
David Johnson, Director and General Manager of Yorkon:
"We are very pleased to be working with Medicinq Osborne on this project for West Herts. Off-site construction offers many advantages to contractors as well as to building end users."
"We have been able to start manufacture and fitting out of the new AAU before demolition work has been carried out on site. This parallel working is saving around six months on the programme time, allowing the hospital site to remain in use for longer and the new building to be open and treating patients much earlier, and with no compromise on quality."
